1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to swimming pool water features generally and more specifically to swimming pool lighting fixtures used in swimming pools, spas, fountains, ponds and any other body of water in which a swimming pool light niche is employed in conjunction with a swimming pool light fixture.
2. Discussion of the Background
The use of underwater pool lighting is quite common in swimming pools, spas, fountains, ponds and other bodies, man-made or naturally controlled. The use of lighting can be for the purpose of safety, enabling a swimmer or swimmers to be readily visible underwater or just simply for the aesthetic appeal that either white or color lighting can give to a body of water. Most swimming pools and spas, whether commercial or residential, utilize at least one swimming pool light fixture mounted into a swimming pool light niche.
Traditionally, a swimming pool light fixture is mechanically fastened into a swimming pool light niche by a minimum of at least one screw, often also by a lower tab feature on the base, and on occasion, a second screw. The swimming pool light niche is a round encased, recessed cavity that usually extends several inches beyond the pool's wall, often one half to three quarters of the way up the wall in the deep end of the swimming pool. The edge of the niche is flush with the pool wall surface. A niche can be a part of any type of pool surface including but not limited to a concrete, fiberglass or vinyl pool surface. Swimming pool light fixtures mount vertically onto a swimming pool light niche in a manner that is flush or relatively flush to the pool surface.
As it comes to pass, many pool light niches have mounting screw tabs used for mounting the light fixture to the niche that by some means becomes damaged and can no longer be used to mechanically fasten the light onto the niche. Often, due to poor water chemistry, the tab will rust to a point where the screw is either broken or partially left in the threads of the tab, or the tab itself breaks off of the niche. In this case, some professional technicians will employ the use of what is known in the trade as a “light wedge” which can be used to reattach the light by means of applying pressure to the top of the fixture wedging against the lower tab. This method is sometimes effective, but often the light fixture can become dislodged from water activity or handling of the fixture while a swimmer is in the water. Certain brands and styles of niches do not even allow for this method. Many light wedges interrupt electrical bond continuity due to their construction is of non conduction materials.
Further, there are some niches, such as a sealed beam light niche, that are so different in size from other niches that certain brand light fixtures do not fit evenly in the niche and either won't mount in the niche or, if so, they appear to be set unevenly.
There are several styles and types of light ring adapters that are available to service the aforementioned conditions. There are internally mounted adapter rings that use three pressure points to secure the adapter into the niche but they do not fit well in some niches and do not account for the varying size of modern light fixtures, some of which do not cover the niches fully with their trim rings, thus leaving the niche partially visible after installation.
Another type of light ring adapter has a trim ring that covers the niche properly but doesn't fit in some niches due to its size and the mounting is done through three diagonal pressure screws that won't secure on other types of niches. Further, this type of light ring adapter cannot be mounted with the fixture in the niche and requires the removal of the fixture prior to installation and the re-installation of the fixture after installation of the adapter or the complete dissembling of the light fixture, which can lead to a host of unwanted consequences once dissembled. Many light fixtures that have been in water for years have a condition of which the electrical cord of the light becomes swollen from moisture and are very difficult or impossible to remove without damaging the fixtures and are even more difficult to then reinstall, or again, even impossible to reinstall.
Therefore, it is clear that there is a need for a universal swimming pool light adapter ring that can be mounted into any light niche, but still possesses a trim ring that can be mounted without the need of removing or dissembling an existing light fixture. The present invention is directed to this need.
After review of the background, summary and detailed description of the preferred embodiments, in conjunction with the drawings, specifications and claims, it should be apparent to anyone skilled in the field of Prior Art, that the present invention uniquely solves the need for, and method of securing, a light adapter ring that can be mounted into any light niche, but still possesses a trim ring that can be mounted without the need of removing an existing light fixture, on a swimming pool, spa or fountain.